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Review: Jamie Foxx is fantastic in courtroom drama ‘Burial’

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 02:30:04 GMT

By Lindsey Bahr | Associated PressJamie Foxx deploys his movie star charm judiciously and skillfully as a litigator with swagger to spare in ” The Burial,” a very entertaining courtroom drama.Foxx is one of those actors, blessed with an allure and glamour that runs so deep that it’s almost tempting to dismiss a performance like this as one that’s natural. It’s one of those compliments that’s rotten at its core — of course he, or Clooney, or whomever, is good at being slick and appealing, right? If it looks effortless, we assume it is, denying them the work that goes into every role.The same could be said for “The Burial,” which is glossy, appealing and goes down suspiciously easy. Is there a catch or did director and co-writer Maggie Betts just prove her commercial chops in her sophomore feature? (It’s the latter.) Just take a look at the poster used for its marketing campaign —- a little retro, a little cheesy, and a lot self-aw...

Nobel Peace Prize to jailed Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi for fighting women’s oppression

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 02:30:04 GMT

By JON GAMBRELL and MIKE CORDER | Associated PressImprisoned Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday in recognition of her tireless campaigning for women’s rights and democracy and against the death penalty.Mohammadi, 51, has kept up her activism despite numerous arrests by Iranian authorities and spending years behind bars.“This prize is first and foremost a recognition of the very important work of a whole movement in Iran with its undisputed leader, Narges Mohammadi,” said Berit Reiss-Andersen, the chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee who announced the prize in Oslo.She said the committee hopes the prize “is an encouragement to continue the work in whichever form this movement finds to be fitting.” She also urged Iran to release Mohammadi in time for the prize ceremony on Dec. 10.For nearly all of Mohammadi’s life, Iran has been governed by a Shiite theocracy headed by the country’s supreme leader. While women hold jobs, academic positions and even...

Calmes: Trump’s words incite violence. Why don’t more Americans care?

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 02:30:04 GMT

There is something even more frightening than how freely Donald Trump gives license to political violence by his toxic rhetoric. It’s that we Americans have become inured to his poison.The nation collectively shrugs — “It’s just Trump being Trump.” And I’m not just talking about his millions of supporters, who laugh, clap, ignore, or, in too many cases, act on his provocations, or threaten to. How can this man be the overwhelming favorite of one of our political parties to be president again?Trump won’t change, but we voters and the media must, and before the 2024 election. We must stop normalizing nasty; our detachment is dangerous. If Trump could ever credibly deny that he was not fomenting violence by his bilge, he lost that excuse on Jan. 6, 2021. Numerous other incidents attest to the perverse power of his words. He knows what he’s doing.Take just the last few weeks. Disparate news stories — about a Republican senator, a four-star gener...

Review: ‘Exorcist’ sequel thrills but misses the original’s terror

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 02:30:04 GMT

By Jake Coyle | Associated PressThere may be no holier ground in horror than “The Exorcist.” As endlessly as William Friedkin’s 1973 film has been ripped off and resurrected, its power remains unalloyed, its place in movie history consecrated.Why is it that, after we’ve seen seen so many heads twist around, “The Exorcist” can still turn heads? Much, surely, is owed to its patient, restrained approach, icy atmospheres and and evocative, uncluttered imagery — all conjured in the dawning dread of post-1960s America.But the possession of young Regan MacNeil still haunts, I think, for its absolute belief in good and evil. It’s a supernatural movie that treats the supernatural as straightforwardly natural. The devil is as real and present as all those concrete steps.There were flop sequels that followed and plenty of spinoffs that failed to grip. But now, just two months after the death of Friedkin and a few months shy of the original’s 50th...

Cyclist Primož Roglič confirms Jumbo-Visma exit to focus on 2024 Tour de France with Bora-Hansgrohe

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 02:30:04 GMT

COMO, Italy (AP) — Cycling superteam Jumbo-Visma is losing one of its trio of Grand Tour winners this season with Primož Roglič announcing Friday his transfer to join Bora-Hansgrohe. Roglič’s move, despite a Jumbo-Visma contract through 2025, will let him focus on the 2024 Tour de France as a team leader and was confirmed at a Bora-Hansgrohe news conference ahead of the Tour of Lombardy race.The Tour is the only Grand Tour title the 33-year-old Slovenian rider lacks after winning the Giro d’Italia in May and the Spanish Vuelta each year from 2019 to 2021.Roglič’s Giro win started a season sweep for Jumbo-Visma before Jonas Vingegaard retained his Tour title in July and American Sepp Kuss won the Vuelta last month.The Vuelta podium sweep by the Dutch team – Vingegaard was runner-up and Roglič third — suggested what its priorities might be next season.Explaining his transfer, Roglič said: “The decisive factor was that the team is really motivated to work with me, and that we hold the ...

Can a spotlight on Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce help the NFL draw more Gen Z and female fans?

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 02:30:04 GMT

Eager as the National Football League has been to cater to the recent public fixation with Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, it’s certainly not taking any credit for creating the outsized storyline that has emerged around the pop superstar and the Kansas City Chiefs tight end.“Not orchestrated by the NFL,” league spokesman Brian McCarthy assured The Associated Press with a chuckle during a chat on the phone about what is becoming known as “ Tay Tay and Trav,” a topic few seemed to be able to get enough of initially, whether football diehards or Swifties, whether via TV or TikTok. The protagonists have remained mum about their actual status since Swift began attending Kelce’s games 1½ weeks ago. The sport providing the backdrop, and its TV partners, have not been shy about trying to capitalize on the “situationship” and gain new fans, particularly members of Gen Z and more women — although marketing experts are skeptical there will be much of a bump in the long run.“There is not going t...

Belgium coach calls up midfielder Mandela Keita for Euro 2024 qualifiers against Austria and Sweden

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 02:30:04 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — Belgium coach Domenico Tedesco called up midfielder Mandela Keita for the first time on Friday for upcoming European Championship qualifying matches against Austria and Sweden.Keita is one of 24 players summoned to prepare for the matches. The team will again be without Kevin De Bruyne and Thibaut Courtois, who are injured.Keita, who plays for Belgian champion Royal Antwerp, is the only new name in Tedesco’s selection.Belgium, which leads Group F alongside Austria, needs one more win to qualify for next year’s Euro 2024 tournament in Germany. The team travels to Austria on Oct. 13 and hosts Sweden three days later.___Goalkeepers: Koen Casteels (Wolfsburg), Matz Sels (Strasbourg), Arnaud Bodart (Standard Liege), Thomas Kaminski (Luton)Defenders: Ameen Al-Dakhil (Burnley), Timothy Castagne (Fulham), Zeno Debast (Anderlecht), Wout Faes (Leicester), Arthur Theate (Rennes), Jan Vertonghen (Anderlecht)Midfielders: Orel Mangala (Nottingham Forest), Yannick Carrasco (A...

Argentina picks Carreras ahead of Sanchez at flyhalf for decisive Rugby World Cup game against Japan

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 02:30:04 GMT

NANTES, France (AP) — Argentina picked Santiago Carreras ahead of Nicolas Sanchez at flyhalf for the decisive Rugby World Cup match against Japan on Sunday.Argentina coach Michael Cheika had a big choice to make at No. 10 after Sanchez kicked seven out of seven in his 100th test to become the Pumas’ all-time leading point-scorer at the World Cup in the 59-5 win over Chile on Saturday.However, Carreras will return against the Brave Blossoms for what is essentially a win-or-go-home match, with both teams having nine points and vying to finish second behind Pool D winner England.There are 11 changes in total from the Chile game, with only forwards Guido Petti and Marcos Kremer and backs Juan Martin Gonzalez and Lucio Cinti retaining their places.Kremer and Gonzalez are playing in their fourth straight pool match while prop Francisco Gómez Kodela starts for the first time since their opening-weekend loss to England in Marseille.Japan’s only change from its 28-22 win over Samoa saw...

London Calling: Bills head to England for a ‘home’ game against the well-rested Jaguars

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 02:30:04 GMT

Josh Allen was searching for any British phrases he might know in preparing for his first trip to England, when the Buffalo Bills quarterback smiled and said: “Mind the gap.”Not bad for someone from Central California in referencing how London Underground commuters are cautioned to not trip over the space between the platform and car when entering or exiting at each Tube stop.It serves as a useful reminder to the Bills (3-1) as a whole in being mostly unfamiliar with traveling to England and yet designated the “home” team for their game against the Jacksonville Jaguars (2-2) at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.The gap for the Bills in making the trip across the Atlantic is a large one in comparison to Jacksonville.The Jaguars are 5-5 since making London their home for a once-a-season game (excluding 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic) since 2013. And on Sunday, they’ll become the NFL’s first team to play consecutive games outside the United States, following a 23-7 win over Atlant...

ANÁLISIS | Trump respalda a Jim Jordan mientras se mete en el caos de la Cámara y los republicanos

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 02:30:04 GMT

(CNN) — Solo había una manera de que el caos en la Cámara de Representantes liderada por los republicanos —que fue comparado este jueves por uno de sus miembros con un “estúpido coche de payaso”— pudiera volverse más extremo.Con la llegada de Donald Trump.El expresidente de Estados Unidos se sumergió en el caos que siguió a la destitución del ahora expresidente de la Cámara de Representantes Kevin McCarthy, buscando característicamente presentarse como hacedor de reyes y robarse el protagonismo.En un día dramático que recordó el caos dentro de la Casa Blanca de Trump, el bando del expresidente hizo circular rumores sobre su posible primera visita al Capitolio de Estados Unidos desde que una multitud lo saqueó el 6 de enero de 2021. Luego, Trump habló de la posibilidad de que incluso podría intervenir como presidente de forma interina.Pero la mayor bomba del expresidente aún estaba por llegar: poco después de la medianoche, respaldó a Jim Jordan, para el puesto.“¡Será un GRAN p...